Crossroads
by anardentauthor
Summary: My future manga predictions 460 . Naruto comes back to the village, once again failing to rescue Sasuke. What will Sakura s reaction be? And will Hinata confront Naruto about the confession? Rated 'T' for mild language .
1. Devotion and Acceptance

**Crossroads**

**(My future manga predictions)**

_-Naruto-_

I walked through the leaf village`s gates, staring at the sight in front of me. The village looked distraught- wood and debris were scattered everywhere, and most all the buildings were destroyed. I saw foundations for a few houses and one house that was nearly whole. It was a big improvement since I had left. "The villagers must`ve been working hard," I said to myself. "They`ve done a lot to help Konoha." I felt my eyes water. "'Course...I still haven`t worked hard enough...for...my goal." I felt a few tears streem down my face, and I watched them fall to the ground. They darkened the earth, then dissapeared. Fresh new drops took their place and dissolved. "Sasuke..." I murmurred. "Naruto?! Is that you? Naruto!!" I heard a familiar voice yell.

_-Hinata-_

I stared up at the sky. It was a dark shade, and the sun wasn`t shining. I saw black birds fly overhead. I listened to them murmur their soft, melancholy song. They sounded so sad, so desperate. I sympathized with them. I, too, feel empty and desperate. Part of me wishes that I had wings as well, so that I could fly away and escape this place and everyone in it. But I know I have to be strong-I have to help everyone rebuild the village, and I have to face Naruto, soon. He`s been tormenting my thoughts for so long since that day. I just have to know his answer. I`m hoping its positive...but with all the things that have gone wrong since Pain`s attack, a part of me feels as though this will be another bad thing that happens to me. But I have to be strong like him. I have to be strong and wait. Whatever happens will happen soon enough...except for this once, I feel so impatient. I feel if I wait anymore, I`m going to burst. I have to do it, soon. I must.

_-Sakura-_  
"Naruto!!" I yelled, again. I was glad to see him. "What if..." I thought, "What if Sasuke is coming behind him, soon?" I had to remind myself not to be selfish and think about him. I had to confront Naruto. Ever since Sai told me about how Naruto loved me and I how I was hurting him, I`ve felt terrible. I have to ask him to forgive me, and I have to tell him that he doesn`t have to rescue Sasuke for me. Even though I`d love to see Sasuke, again, I must rescue him myself. I can`t burden Naruto, anymore. Well, I would see. If Naruto had brought Sasuke back, then all I`d need to do was apologize and everything would be okay.

_-Naruto-_

I saw Sakura running towards me. I wiped my eyes so she couldn`t see my tears. I felt terrible. She`ll be so dissapointed in me when she finds out I haven`t brought Sasuke back. What could I tell her? Was there anything I could say that wouldn`t put her in pain? I didn`t think there was. She stopped in front of me. "Naruto! Listen, before you say anything, there`s something I have to tell you." I nodded. I didn`t feel as though I could speak. "Naruto, I...Sai talked to me. He told me about you." I gasped. How dare he?! "Sakura, I-!" "...he told me that you loved me. And he also told me that I was causing you pain." She started to cry. "S-Sakura...you..you`re not-" "I know I was selfish, Naruto. Back then. I clung to you and cried...that`s all I did, Naruto. I cried. I cried and I burdened you. And it`s been even worse, lately. I`ve...gotten closer to you, Naruto...we almost had Sasuke, twice...and he...he helped us. He helped us grow together. But the whole time I thought...I was enjoying being with you and you enjoyed it, too... but I realized...I was just hurting you, Naruto. Every time I was with you, I tormented you. All you could think about was how...you couldn`t keep your promise...but I don`t want you to worry about the promise, anymore. I just...I don`t want you to be in pain, Naruto. I can rescue Sasuke, really, I can. So I don`t want you to be in pain, anymore, Naruto. I don`t want you to worry about me anymore. I was so selfish. I`m so sorry...and I really hope that you`ll forgive me."

"S-Sakura..." I breathed. "No, no. Sakura you never...I mean...I`m the one that should be apologizing! I couldn`t bring Sasuke back, again. He attacked the five kages, but he dissapeared before I could get him. I failed you, again. I`m sorry." Sakura, still sobbing, walked closer to me and punched me right in the face. "Naruto, didn`t you hear what I said?! I don`t want you to worry about that-about me-anymore!" Sakura`s words touched me, but I saw dissapointment in her face. She wanted Sasuke back, I know she did. "Sakura," I started, "I know you don`t want me to worry. But I know that through all this...even if-the thought did cross my mind a few times-even if you loved me...love me...I know that you still love Sasuke. I know that feelings that strong can`t go away, Sakura. So...since I care about you...I don`t want you to be sad. I want you to be happy. And for you to be truly happy, I know that you have to have Sasuke." Sakura`s eyes welled up with tears. Oh, Naruto!!" She cried, suddenly embracing me. "Naruto...I`m sorry." "I know. It`s okay." I knew what she meant-she was sorry for causing me pain...but also sorry that she didn`t return my feelings. I loved her. I would always love her. We could`ve been much more, but I know that it will be better this way-for both of us.

We stayed locked in the embrace for a long time, until finally she let go of me and left, leaving to go help the others rebuild the village. I`d be right behind her, soon.

"N-Naruto!"  
I heard a soft voice call my name. I turned around, surprised. It was Hinata. What was she doing here?


	2. Selflessness

**Crossroads**

**(My future manga predictions)**

-_Hinata-_

I walked towards Naruto quickly, though each step seemed to be as long as a mile. I suddenly wanted to turn back, to forget my desire for his affection and for this confrontation, but I had already called his name. It was too late. I would have to ask him.

Naruto looked surprised. "Hinata…what are you doing here? Shouldn`t you be helping the others?" I blushed. "N-Naruto…I…" "What is it, Hinata?" "I`m sorry to be bothering you, but I just had to know your answer. I`ve…been thinking about it for a long time, and…I just have to know how you feel." Naruto looked confused. "How I…feel? What are you talking about, Hinata?" What did he mean? I guess that he didn`t want to talk about it…which would mean that he didn`t feel the same way I did. "You don`t have to…feel the same way I do. It`s just... I love you so much, Naruto!" I gasped and covered my mouth. I hadn`t meant to say that. "You…what?" He said. Maybe he had forgotten that day-of course! That would make perfect sense, because after I got hit he turned into the mini-kyubi, and that may have made him forget. "I`m sorry, Naruto. I, um…I just realized…you probably don`t remember what happened." "What happened?" He asked. "So…that must`ve sounded weird, I`m sorry," I said. "Hinata, what did happen? Was it something that had to do with… with you loving me?" I blushed more. "Y-yes. It was before you sprouted 6 tails. You were fighting Pain, and he had pinned you down so that you couldn`t move. I`d been watching everything from afar. I couldn`t bear you getting hurt anymore, so I went to were you were and ambushed Pain." "You…did _what_, Hinata?!" I blushed even redder. "It was foolish, I know. I was being selfish. I was only thinking about how I didn`t want you to get hurt." "H-Hinata…" Naruto breathed.

_-Naruto-_

"_This sounds exactly how I feel about Sakura…"_ I thought, as I listened to Hinata. She continued her recap of events.

"While I was fighting him…I told you that I knew I wasn`t a match for him…but that I would be willing to die for you… because I love you." I gasped. She would die…for _me?!_ "I wasn`t a match at all, though," she said. "I got tossed aside, easily. I was injured greatly by his attack…I couldn`t move. Then, he stabbed me. I was still alive…barely…but I guess you thought that I was dead. Then you transformed into the six-tails, and…" She faded off at the end, so I knew she was finished. But…what a story! We both stood there in silence, me pondering the events that I had just been told. Hinata started fidgeting with her fingers. "N-Naruto…" I realized what the fidgeting meant-it was her old habit, but it showed how nervous she was around me. Then, I realized everything else-how she was always watching me, always supporting me, and always being nice to me-even when no one else was. I started to laugh. "Man, Hinata. You must think I`m _such_ an idiot. But now I realize everything." "N-Naruto…I…I know that you love Sakura. I think she might like you back, so…I know that you don`t feel the way I do. You…don`t have to be nice to me about this…" I laughed again. "Hinata, you`re always so selfless! You like me so much, so why don`t you just be selfish about it! 'Naruto, I need you!. Just forget about Sakura, I can be better!' That`s what you should say, Hinata." She laughed nervously. "Come on, Hinata," I started. "Say it!" "Naruto…" "Come on, say it! I can`t be with someone who doesn`t put herself before others." She and I both gasped at what I had said. I had made my decision-I didn`t love Hinata…but she loved me. We were friends. Maybe over time, the more I got to know her, the more I would learn to love her. I know she`d always love me. I grinned at her. "Say it." She laughed, but this time a pure, happy laugh. "Okay…" She took a deep breath. "Naruto, I need you!! Just forget about Sakura, I can be better!!" The way she said it, I knew she felt it, and I knew she meant it. "That`s right." I said, walking closer to her. "Hinata…I think that you can love me more than Sakura could." Hinata nodded. "So…Hinata? I`ve got to rescue Sasuke…that`s my top priority. But…after I do that…and the village is rebuilt…would you like to go out sometime?" Hinata started to cry. "Naruto…I`ve wanted so long for you to say that. I will!" She cried, hugging me.

I knew that I had made the right choice. Hinata loves me limitlessly, and I feel as though she`ll love me, forever. That feeling is something that everyone yearns for all their life. And I have a person giving it to me.

From now on, no matter what else happens, I`ll cherish that, forever.

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A/N: Thank you for reading this. I`m not sure if I`ll continue or not. Please review. :)


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